After leaving a Norton City Council meeting, I was shocked to walk through a group of residents standing outside who were gathered around discussing city issues. They were so angry with the sanitary sewer issue that they were spitting as they spoke. But the one thing that blew my mind was to hear some of them saying that in order to send a message to the city, they were voting no on the fire/EMS levy, and were urging others to do the same.

Seriously? I can’t believe anyone in this community would have the audacity to let a personal vendetta or an anger-driven agenda against sewers fuel a campaign against the Fire Department. I’ve heard of cutting your nose off to spite your face, but risking the lives of your family, friends and neighbors to do it? Putting firefighters and their families out of work? That’s a whole new low. I hope that you can live with your decision this November.

This election, we should all take a moment to become educated in the laws of campaign finance and reporting. In short, understand that any group who supports or opposes a candidate or ballot issue must file with the [Summit] County Board of Elections, designate a treasurer and have a single checking account where accepted funds and expenditures will come from. That said, when the same group sends out fliers, pamphlets, hangs banners or any other information that pushes their agenda, they should have as an example: “paid for by: Us 4 Something, 123 anywhere street, John Doe Treasurer.” If it’s not there, then question why they don’t want their names on it. Is it just rebellious propaganda?

These campaign tactics play on the emotional side of voters and usually happen under the cover of darkness in Norton. If you attended this past Cider Festival, both the fire levy booth and [Norton City] Schools booth had it right. Don’t be duped in November: know who’s saying what; ask who are you?